Angels
The Angelic Host is a Clan of Gods which rules a powerful Kingdom called Zion (also referred to as the 7th Universe). They are the successors to the Elohim, a Clan of Gods who appeared in the Midplane to fight the War at the Dawn. At a disadvantage against the Archdevils, the Elohim merged into a single Super God called Zeal or more simply, the Lord. As this fused being, the power of the Elohim was multiplied by many orders. Zeal was extraordinarily strong, and created the Angels to serve as soldiers against the Devils. Raging across the planes in the name of their Lord, they proved remarkably adept at this, even successfully taking down numerous powerful Archdevils. Eventually, their fame became such that even Satan heard of them. Seeking a challenging opponent, he raided Zion, managing to kill hundreds of Angels, including 3 of the 7 Archangels. Realizing that the Angels were no match for Satan, Zeal himself moved against the Devil King. In the aftermath, Satan had been driven off and the Lord was gone. After this, the Archangel Michael took over and dedicated the Angelic Host to maintaining peace and order in their Kingdom. With their Lord gone, Michael was unsure of what direction to take the Host in. He maintained that one day their Lord would return, and that the Host would guard over the Kingdom of Zion and the various races they had created and watched over. While the other Archangels privately doubted that their Lord still existed, but the Angels had been designed to follow orders and now Michael was in charge. Following their consolidation of their rule, the Angels turned their attention to other Clans of Gods that had emerged. At great personal expense, they managed to make contact with Rao and the Dragon Gods. Rao's dismissive attitude and the Dragon Gods' perceived decadence infuriated Michael, and he attempted to lead a Crusade to conquer Spyra in the Lord’s name. Unfortunately for him, Rao was far more powerful than he expected and he was rebuffed. Michael and the Angels retreated back to Zion, where they licked their wounds and concentrated on solidifying their control of the mortals there. Since they were created to be soldiers, the Angels are extremely militaristic compared to other Clans of Gods. Their society is one of spartan austerity, completely foregoing the decadent leisure of other Clans in favor of absolute discipline. They are somewhat simple minded compared to other Gods, possessing an economy of priorities and concerns. They have little interest in the idle concerns that take up the attentions of other Clans, and are interested only in further developing their martial prowess and serving the will of their Lord. The higher ranks of angels possess a bit more flexibility in their thought, but by and large the Angels are warriors and nothing more. Angels possess absolute confidence in their own superiority and tend to look down their noses at other gods, who they regard as pathetic. They regard mortals as inferior and essentially useless, and for Devils and demons they have nothing but contempt. To those not in awe of the Angels they come off as annoyingly arrogant, though even then other gods fear their power and avoid fighting them. The leaders of the Angelic Host are the 4 Archangels commanded by Michael, who hold authority in the name of the Lord. Beneath them the Angels are separated into the Angelic Legions and the Grigori. The Seraphim act as officers in the Legions commanding units of lesser Cherubim. The Grigori are tasked with the administration of the White City and its relation to the rest of the Kingdom. They keep watch over all that goes on throughout the cosmos, reporting any happenings to the Archangels and directing the actions of the Legions. The mortals they rule over are organized into various districts, each under the control of an angelic prefect. The minutiae of the running of these districts is left up to mortal administrators, as the Angels primarily care about the spiritual wellbeing of their charges. Short of obvious abuses of authority mortals are free to run their societies as they want so long as they glorify the Lord. It is unknown what form their Elohim creator possessed when it entered the Midplane, but it was said to have created the Angels in its own image. Their true forms are mind bogglingly terrible and tend to defy explanation, but Angels themselves describe them as massive with numerous wings and faces. In general though, they tend to assume the form of beautiful humanoids with white hair and gleaming white wings clad in ornate armor. 'Notable Angels' 'Archangels' As the first angels created by the Lord, the Archangels are head and shoulders above the others in terms of power and wisdom. They were created to be the Lord's Generals and ultimate warriors, and as such are absolute, precise and wrathful creatures. Archangels possess the power to create more Angels, but it takes alot out of them to do so. So great were their losses following their Crusade against the Dragons that it took them 100000 years to recover their power after replenishing their ranks. There were originally 7 Archangels, but three were killed by Satan. Archangels can be marked by the insignia of the Golden Halo on their right shoulder. Michael: Leader of the Archangels and de facto ruler of Angelic Host, Michael is also sometimes referred to as the Prince of Empyrean. He is a great warrior and wise leader, and has held his position of authority for billions of years. Eons ago Michael lead a battle with the Devils, eventually attempting to take on Satan himself. Satan proved to be too strong even for him, forcing the Lord to fight Satan which resulted in his apparent demise. In the aftermath, Michael managed to rally the rest of the Host around himself and the other Archangels. Seeking to maintain their Lord's Kingdom, he conquered the scattered mortals who had fallen to chaos in the Lord's absence and brought them under the heel of his new Empire, dedicated to restoring order in the wake of Satan's rampage and glorifying the Lord. When he fights seriously Michael uses a great sword infused with Flame Element, but more often is content to use his fists. Gabriel: Michael’s second in command, Gabriel is widely regarded as the cleverest among the Angels. Tall with a somewhat gaunt appearance, Gabriel often terrifies people. He has a tendency to act erratically and pretend to be absent minded to distract people, but he carefully pays attention to everything. When the Prophets were being killed, he noticed that the trail of evidence led to Azrael but was suspicious of it. Unfortunately he deduced Samael as the true culprit too late to stop him. Gabriel carries an axe in battle. Raphael: Kindest and most jovial of the Archangels, Raphael is nontheless a force to be reckoned with when roused. Raphael is known as a healer and is less bloodthirsty than his brothers, as well as the most fond of mortals. He regards himself as more of a lover than a fighter, and is known to dally with mortals from time to time (though he's careful to avoid breaking the edict against siring children). In battle Raphael uses a bow which shoots powerful bolts of light. Uriel: Uriel is also the most aggressive of the Archangels and is the most committed to their mission behind Michael. She is fiercely devoted to Michael, and is believed to be in love with him. In battle Uriel will often use a mace. Ramiel: Ramiel was known for her great strength and was regarded as the second best fighter behind Michael. In a best two of three bout, Ramiel alone could win 1 against their big brother. She was known to be very stern but also very compassionate. When Satan appeared in Zion, Ramiel confronted him alongside Uriel and Zerachiel. However, she was no match for the Devil, and was quickly killed in battle by Satan. Zerachiel: Known for his thoughtful nature, Zerachiel rarely moved without considering his actions. He was with Ramiel and Uriel when Satan invaded Zion, but advised that they flee and regroup, hoping that with their numbers they might be able to overwhelm him. However, Ramiel attacked anyway and when she died Uriel rushed Satan in a rage. Zerachiel threw himself in front of the attack to save her, being mortally wounded in the process. As he lay dying he confessed that he'd always loved Uriel and told her to flee, but their touching moment was interrupted when Satan finished him off. Raguel: Raguel was with Michael when Satan first arrived. Uriel returned to Empyrean to report that Ramiel and Zerachiel had fallen, and Michael gathered the remaining Archangels to counterattack. The attack did not go as planned, as Satan ambushed them. Raguel was killed in the battle. 'Grigori' Stationed in the Watchtower, the Grigori are an Order of Angels charged with observing Zion and to keep the Archangels alerted to all goings-on. The Watchtower serves as a command and control center for the White City, and is a repository for centuries of wisdom and history, culled from the reports, treatises and memoirs of the Host's greatest warriors and finest minds. The Watchers are known to possess a bit more flexible thinking than their Seraphim and Cherubim brethren. They are regarded as special troops among the Angelic Host, and are just as martially capable as their Seraphim and Cheribum brothers. Grigori are noted by the All Seeing Eye on their right shoulder. Metatron: Formerly the Lord's personal scribe, he is in charge of the Watchtower and commands the Grigori for the Archangels. Araqiel Armaros Gadreel: A Fallen Angel, Gadreel was one of the Grigori who lead a group of his brothers down to breed with mortal women. In punishment for his crimes, he was locked in Perdition. Baraqel Bezaliel Chazaqiel Kokabiel Penemue: A close friend of Gadreel, Penemue was among those dallying with mortals. He was locked in Pedition with the others. Sariel Samyaza Shamsiel 'Angelic Legions' Also called the White Army, the Legions are the sword of the Angelic Host. They are commanded by powerful Angels known as Seraphim who oversee units of lesser Cherubim. 'Seraphim' The Seraphim are the officer class of the Angelic Legions and are far more powerful than their Cherubim brethren. They answer to the Archangels, though they are often sometimes advised by the Grigori. There are 10 Seraphs, each of whom command one of the Host's Garrisons. If a Seraph falls in battle, the Archangels possess the ability to promote a Cherub to the rank of Seraph, granting them a substantial increase in power. Seraphiel: The oldest of the Seraphs, Seraphiel is the captain of the 1st Garrison. Upon meeting him, John comments he resembles Captain Solo of SENTINEL. Ambriel: Unusually stern even for an Angel, Ambriel's seriousness is undermined by her overwhelming sex appeal which causes even other Angels to fall in love with her at first glance. She is nevertheless very powerful and dangerous, and serves as the captain of the 2nd Garrison. Muriel: Commander of the 3rd Garrison, she maintains a detached demeanor. Raziel: A comparatively young Seraph, he has recently been placed in charge of the 4th Garrison. He has a strong sense of justice and looks up to Samael. Uziel: Called the Giant of the Seraphim, Uziel's humanoid form is over 8 feet tall and physically imposing. Uziel commands the 5th Garrison. Samael: A Seraphim who chafes at his station in the Host. He is a close friend of Azrael who he occasionally tries to incite against the Archangels. Samael commanded the 6th Garrison. Nuriel: Nuriel is captain of the 7th Garrison. Jehoel: '''A Seraphim who commands the 8th Garrison. '''Zaphkiel: Captain of the 9th Garrison. Sandalphon: '''Captain of the 10th Garrison, Sandalphon is the "twin sister" of Metatron. '''Yeqon: A Seraph who joined with Gadreel in dallying with mortals. For his crimes he was locked away into Perdition millennia ago. Asbeel: Another Seraph who ignored the Host's laws in regards to mortals. He was locked in Perdition with his brothers. Kasdaye: The last of the 5 leaders of the Lustful Rebellion, he was defeated by Azrael and cast into Perdition. Cherubim The Cherubim are the rank and file soldiers of the Angelic Legions. Despite possessing Holy Power themselves, the Cherubim are the lowest order of Angels created and thus have the most simple "programming." Created to be weapons, they have a hard time processing emotions or projecting any desire to be more than they are. Pyriel Danyael Zophael Castiel Kerubiel Jegudiel Haniel Shamsiel Zachariel Selaphiel Zephon Phanuel Ezekiel Leliel Jerahmeel Camael Barachiel Adriel 'Angel of Death' The Angel of Death was a special position created by the Lord before his disappearance. The purpose of the Angel of Death is to be the enforcer of the Host's Laws, punishing those who break them and sentencing them to the prison dimension called Perdition. To this end, the Lord created Azrael, a being with power on par with the Archangels. Azrael: Azrael is the Angel of Death and possesses power on the order of the Archangels. However, he was constructed drastically differently from his brothers and sisters, being an Angel made who is able to use the power of Darkness. Due to his unique powers, he does not interact much with the other Angels and has no responsibilities in leading the Legions. Instead he exists outside Empyrean, though he occasionally shows up to police the Host or advise the Archangels. Azrael is notable in that while the other Angels have white hair and gleaming wings, Azrael's hair and feathers are black. 'Trivia' - There are roughly 1000 Angels divided into 10 Garrisons. Each Garrison is commanded by a Seraphim Captain. These Seraphim in turn report to the 4 Archangels. In addition to this there is a detachment of Grigori (generally less than 40) who operate from the White City's Watchtower. - In their true forms Angels are enormous and completely terrifying beings to behold to the point that it is damaging or in some cases fatal to mortal beings. Cherubim are glowing beast like bodies with 4 faces and flapping golden wings. Seraphs appear as pillars of light with 6 golden wings and horrifying faces that sing with voices which overwhelm the senses of those who hear them. Archangels defy description, as lesser mortals will explode at the sight of them and even John and Cain in their Oversaran Forms could not really tell what they were looking at. While most mortals who behold an Angel's true form go mad trying to understand it, considering John and Cain's demonic natures, it is possible they were simply not intimidated by the Angels. - The Elohim that created the Angels was originally a small Clan of Gods who emerged in the Midplane. They were ambitious, but lacked the overall strength of other Clans like the Dragons. To better succeed, they combined into a single being, becoming a supremely powerful God called Lord Zeal who would far exceeded even Bahamut in strength. In this state, the Elohim was strong enough to create the lesser gods known as Angels and create the pocket dimension of Empyrean to serve as their base against the Devils. When Satan emerged and the Angels were being slaughtered by him, Lord Zeal moved itself and battled with the Devil King. - Michael was the first Archangel created and unknown to him is an exact copy of Lord Zeal himself. This explains why his power is head and shoulders above even the other Archangels and why he was able to roughly match the God King Rao in combat. However, like other Angels, he is subject to the programming of the Elohim, and thus does not have his father's farsight. - The Angels are particularly concerned with purity, regarding their Grace as priceless. They were therefore horrified when they met the Dragons, who commonly infused themselves with Elemental energies, which was tantamount to heresy to the Angels. While the Angels DO occasionally make use of elemental energies (for instance Michael weilds a sword infused with Fire element), they keep themselves pure. It is also for this reason that Azrael is looked upon with fear and suspicion by other Angels, as he was created infused with Darkness. - The Angels are also highly suspicious of Magic owing to a commandment passed down from the Lord. They actively seek to suppress it within the Kingdom of Zion, and destroy magical artifacts whenever they find them. - Ages ago the Angels faced a rebellion when some of their number went out into the mortal realms to rule as Kings, taking women for themselves and begetting children. 5 Angels were the initial rebels, and their names were Gadreel, Yeqon, Asbeel, Penemue and Kasdaye. They eventually tempted many others to indulge in mortals with them, in all 66 Angels fell with them. The demi-gods who resulted from these unions were called Nephilim and were regarded as abominations. The Angelic Host killed all that they could find and locked away in a dimensional prison called Perdition. The entrance to Perdition is the Black Tower and its guardian is Azrael. When Samael freed them, they had been transformed by their time in Perdition and resembled cracked stone statues. It should be noted though that the edict the Rebel Angels broke was not one against dallying with mortals (Raphael for instance has been known to dally with mortals from time to time), but one against siring children. - Satan's name is taboo among the Angels and he is referred to simply as "the Beast." They tend not to refer to devils or demons by their proper titles either, referring to them simply as "unclean" or "abominations."